Travis Kelce may have chosen to come back for one more season. But it’s only a matter of time before he rides off into the sunset. Coming off his worst season statistically, Kelce has already shown signs of decline. Often, he was a frustrated figure on the offense last season as Patrick Mahomes preferred other options. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that the Chiefs are slowly moving on from their future Hall of Fame TE. So, as he gears up for one last hurrah in his 13th season, the Chiefs could bring him an understudy. Maybe under his guidance, the Chiefs can get their heir-apparent to Kelce after he leaves the Chiefs Kingdom forever.
Earlier this month, the Chiefs spent one of their top 30 visits on Bowling Green’s TE Harold Fannin Jr. Now the 6-foot-3, 241 pounds tight end doesn’t need any introduction, right? Having led the FBS in catches (117) and receiving yards (1,555), Harold was the first ever TE to win the conference’s Player of the Year award. Not only that, he also snagged the Offensive Player of the Year award, joining former Super Bowl Champion Marco Battaglia as the only TE to do so. Hold on! There’s more.
Thanks to his monstrous numbers, Fannin Jr. also earned the first consensus All-American in his school’s history. So, with a resume as decorated as Kelce’s career. Nate Taylor of The Athletic believes he could be an option to eventually replace Trav. “With his strong hands and urgent athleticism, Fannin is at his best as a pass catcher and shows a unique feel for creating as a ball carrier. He is still very young—and it shows, especially in his blocking and route running. Overall, Fannin is somewhat of an unconventional prospect,” Taylor wrote.
Here’s the thing: Fannin does possess incredible catching capabilities. But Taylor believes he might not be good at blocking that TEs are expected to be sharp at. He can be an automatic catcher and a competitive runner after the catch, considering he earned a 96.6 PFF grade as a receiver. Fannin may seem like an undersized TE. However, his blocking grade is also pretty phenomenal. Fannin boasted a 73.7 grade in blocking (highest among pass-catching TEs).
If there are still questions about his abilities, Kelce can surely help him improve upon those. Now, obviously, the decision lies in the Chiefs’ hands. Surely, they hosted Fannin with a probable reason to draft him later. But if they do believe, he ain’t the one to fill in Kelce’s boots. The Chiefs might need to pull off a Patrick Mahomes-like trade to get the nation’s No.1 TE prospect.
Is Tyler Warren the perfect replacement for Travis Kelce?
Harold Fannin Jr. may have led the FBS in catches and receiving yards as a TE. But it was still not enough for him to win the nation’s top TE award, John Mackey, which went to Tyler Warren. Ever since the draft fever has taken over the NFL community, Warren has been touted as the No.1 TE in this year’s draft. He is almost certain to be picked in the top 10, if not higher. But the Chiefs who are positioned at No.31 probably have to give up a lot to get him. At this point, Warren is almost certain to be picked by the Bears, who hold the No.10 pick.
And considering Ben Johnson likes to experiment with trick plays, Warren could fit right into his plans. Tyler played in 6 different positions last year, which makes him an incredibly versatile player. Now, that’s not the only trait which easily makes Warren stand out from the rest in his class. Tyler has even shown his elite athleticism, having rushed for 218 yards and 4 scores on the ground. So, he won’t just be your pass-catcher. Warren can also chimp in as a rusher, ready to break tackles on his way to the red zone.
Considering he and Kelce are also of similar sizes: 6-foot-5 and 250 plus pounds. Warren might just be the mirror image of Kelce that the Chiefs can ever dream of. But again, it’s totally up to them. Whether they would like to get an instant replacement for Kelce or wait and develop someone like Harold Fannin Jr. before he eventually takes over.
The post NFL Draft: 2,396-Yard Travis Kelce’s Heir Will Make Patrick Mahomes Even More Lethal if Chiefs Pick the TE appeared first on EssentiallySports.
